Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones said an investigation into the incident has wrapped up. It determined that firefighters who responded to the blaze initially went into the home to fight the fire, but were ordered out and told to fight the fire defensively - from the outside only - because of safety concerns over the home’s structural integrity, according to the Associated Press.

"During this transition from offensive operations to defensive operations, a suggestion was made to take a photo, with the retiring battalion chief, in front of the building," Jones said, calling their actions "inappropriate behavior."

"This momentary lapse in judgment brought great embarrassment to our department and our great city. For this poor judgment, all involved will be held accountable," he said.

A photo showing 18 firefighters posing in front of the burning home was posted on social media. The photo was later removed from the Facebook site.

While Jones did not detail the discipline planned for those involved, he said “supervisors and above will receive a greater degree of disciplinary accountability." All those involved have shown the “appropriate level of regret for this inappropriate behavior,” he added.

"There are a lot of ways to celebrate a retirement. Taking a photo in front of a building fire is not one of them," said Detroit Fire Commissioner Eric Jones.